Tie-chain for vehicle-bodies



(No Model.)

T. M. NALTON. :TIE GHAINI'OR VEHICLE BODIES."

No. 6 1 6,i400-;= Patented Mar. 13 1894 WITNESSES: 7N INVENTOR 72M/Zfifiw I I %fifw 4z BY ATTORNEY3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. NALTON, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

TIE-CHAIN FOR VEHICLE-BODIES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,400, dated March13, 1894.

Application filed August 1, 1895'- Serial No. 482.068. (No model.)

To an whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. NALTON, of Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and usefulImprovementsin Vehicles, of which the following, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in vehicles, and particularly thoseof the class described in my pending application, Serial No. 454,057,filed December 5, 1892, and has for its object the production of asimple and practical device for holding the opposite sides of thevehicle body in their normal position and preventing spreading thereof,which is economically manufactured, readily placed 1n operativeposition, easily operated, and is durable and effective in use; and tothis end 1t consists, essentially, in flexible tie sections having theirouter ends secured to said opposite sides of the vehicle body, and alever connected to the inner ends of said sections for drawing the sametogether, and in the detail construction and arrangement of the parts,all as hereinafter more particularly described and pointed out in theclaims.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, in which like lettersindicate corresponding parts in all the vlews. I V

Figure l is a transverse vertical sectional View of the vehicle bodyshown in my aforesaid application, my present invention beingillustrated as operatively secured to the opposite sides of said body.Fig. 2 is a similar sectional view, shown as enlarged and as havingportions thereof broken away, and Fig. 3 is an isometric perspective ofthe detached lever or connection between the inner ends of the tiesections, said ends of the tie sections being shown as operativelysecured thereto.

It is Well known that the central portions of the sides of vehiclebodies, such as cars, Wagons, &c., used for transporting coal, stone,and similar materials are frequently forced from their normal positionand bowed outwardly, thereby deteriorating'the appearance of thevehicle, and usually rendering inoperative movable covers therefor ofthe class described in my aforesaid application. My present invention isdesigned to effectually prevent such separation or outward bowing of thecentral portions of the sides of a vehicle body, and is readily securedin operative position and operated without the exercise of skill, andwithout materially reducing the capacity of the vehicle body.

A represents the vehicle body, which may be of any desirable form, size,and construction, and is provided with a bottom walla, and side walls aa. The vehicle body, shown in the accompanying drawings, is providedwith a cover A consisting of opposite sections a a but it is unnecessaryto further illustrate .or describe said cover, as the same forms thesubject matter of my aforesaid applica tion, Serial No. 454,057.

BB represent the tie sections having their outer ends secured to theopposite sides a a of the vehicle body, and preferably to the u pperends thereof. These flexible tie sections may be composed of a chain, asillustrated, or of a cable, wire, or rope, and their outer ends may besecured by staples or other fastening means I) b. I

O is the connection or lever arranged between the opposite ends of thetie sections B B, and provided with a drum B upon opposite roundingsections of the face of which the inner ends of the tie sections B B arewound. The inner endsof these sections B B are secured at separatepoints to the connection or lever G, and said lever is preferablyprovided with arms I) 1) extending laterally therefrom across the faceof the drum B and provided with perforations for receiving the innerends of said tie sections. As the connection or lever O is forced to anupright position ortoward the tie section at one side thereof theadjacent ends of the tie sections are separated, and, as the lever O isforced in the opposite direction or toward the opposite tie section, theinner ends of the tie sections are wound upon the drum B and the uprightsides a a of the vehicle body are firmly held in position.

In order that the lever C may be positively and efiectually held in itsoperative position it is provided at its free end with a shoulder orhook B which engages one of the tie sections B, and efiects this result.

7 It is evident that the connection or lever O and the tie sections B Bare economically manufactured, readily placed in operative position, andeasily operated for the desired purpose.

The operation of my invention will be readily perceived from theforegoing description and upon reference to the drawings, and it will beparticularly noted that the same does not materially decrease thecapacity of the vehicle body, is economically manufactured, assembled,and placed in operative position, and is durable and effective in use.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with the opposite sides of a vehicle body havingtheir central portions movable toward and away from each other; offlexible tie sections, each section having its outer end secured to thecentral portion of one of said sides, and alever provided with oppositerounding engaging face sections connected to the inner ends of saidconnections for drawing the central portions of said sides toward eachother said lever being engaged with one of the tie sections at one sideof said engaging face sections for holding the tie sections in theiradjusted position, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination with the opposite sides of a vehicle body havingtheir central portions movable toward and awayfrom each other; offlexible tie sections, each section having its outer end secured to thecentral portion of one of said sides, a revoluble drum provided with aface upon which the inner ends of said sections are wound for drawingthe central portions of said sides toward each other, and a leversecured to said drum for engaging one of the sections and holding thedrum in its adjusted position, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

3. The combination with the opposite sides of a vehicle body havingtheir central portions movable toward and away from each other; offlexible tie sections, each section having its outer end secured to thecentral portion of one of said sides, a revoluble drum provided with aface upon which the inner ends of said sections are wound for drawingthe central portions of said sides toward each other, and a leversecured to said drum and provided with arms extending laterally acrosssaid face of the drum and secured to the inner ends of said sections andprovided with a shoulder for engaging one of the sections and holdingthe drum in its adjusted position, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence oftwo attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in theState of New York, this 12th day of May, 1893.

THOMAS M. NALTON.

Witnesses:

CLARK H. NORTON, E. A. WEISBURG.

